Gopalganj, Nov. 7: The tension between BJP and JD(U) has been simmering in the state for long and is indicative of their nosediving relationship.
A fresh rift between the BJP and the JD(U) in the district has surfaced and been widening with each party accusing the other of worsening relations since last Friday.
Former tourism minister and BJP MLA Ram Pravesh Rai, reacting strongly to JD(U) MLA Manjit Singh’s statement that the former was not made minister for the second time because of inefficiency, today lashed out in a news meet: “Manjit is a child in politics. I have nothing to learn from Manjit. If other MLAs were capable, why were they not made ministers? I did a lot as tourism minister.”
Rai alleged that Manjit took Rs 10 lakh to stay the transfer of sub-divisional officer Rajiv Ranjan.
He said that lack of any Opposition has promoted corruption and anarchy in bureaucracy and BJP will have to shoulder the dual responsibility to check this.
District board member and JD(U) leader Om Prakash Singh said because of the attitude of the JD(U) MLA, the misunderstanding in the JD(U)-BJP combine has crept in. “The attitude of Manjit Singh is impractical and causing rift in the JD(U)- BJP combine,” he added.
At a new meet yesterday, Manjit had criticised the decision of BJP MLAs Rai, Subhash Singh and Indradeo Manjhi to boycott the 20-point implementation programme meeting chaired by the public information and transport minister Brishin Patel on the plea that Patel has led the district toward backwardness and he does not listen to BJP MLAs of the district.
Manjit had said the BJP MLAs showed indiscipline and targeted the minister.
Last Friday, BJP MLAs had boycotted the meeting, levelling several allegations against Patel, the district in-charge minister.
They had also demanded that the chief minister remove Patel from the responsibility of Gopalganj district.
Patel had said that he was apologetic if his actions had unintentionally and unknowingly antagonised the BJP MLAs. “Things could have been talked over,” he had added.
The absence of deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi’s photo and name in chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Seva Yatra posters and advertisements in Bettiah has irked a section of BJP leaders.
Nitish will begin his Seva Yatra from Bettiah — the headquarters of West Champaran district — on November 9.
The advertisements of Seva Yatra showcase the state’s flagship anti-graft law — Bihar Special Courts Act, 2009 — and action taken under it.
The public relations department of the vigilance bureau has published this advertisement under the header “Bhrastachar Ke Khilaf Jung (battle against corruption)”.
“It is a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar and the JD(U) and the BJP have equally contributed to the growth and development of the state. The BJP leaders too have played their role in Nitish’s battle against corruption. I am surprised to find Sushil Modi not featuring in the yatra posters,” said a BJP MLA on condition of anonymity.
Even at the senior level, Nitish and Modi had been involved in a cold war since June last year after a full-page advertisement appeared in the local media showing the two chief ministers holding hands — a picture taken at an NDA rally in Punjab during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
An angry Nitish had not only cancelled a dinner planned for BJP leaders at the national executive meeting, but also returned Rs 5 crore sent by the Gujarat government for victims of the Kosi floods.
It was because of Nitish’s insistence that Modi was kept out of electioneering in Bihar in the last Lok Sabha polls also.
